North Korea Throwing Threats All Over The Region, China Now On Their List

Diplomatic efforts between North Korea and the rest of the planet have always been mitigated by one simple alliance of Pyongyang: China.

Even during this latest struggle, in which the United States and North Korea have been at serious odds with each other, has had a healthy dose of Chinese influence. Not only did Beijing send 150,000 troops to their border with the hermit kingdom as a show of force, the world’s most populous country also imposed heavy sanctions on Kim Jong Un’s regime by refusing shipments of coal from the despot – an economic nightmare for Kim as coal exports to China constitute nearly 40% of the reclusive country’s GDP.

“Having repeatedly threatened the annihilation of its neightbor to the south, and most recently warning of a ‘super-mighty preemptive strike’ against the US, one day after it emerged that Pyongyang appeared to have resumed activity at its Punggye-ri Nuclear test site, North Korea asked China not to step up anti-North sanctions, warning of ‘catastrophic consequences’ in their bilateral relations.

“Pyongyang issued the warning through commentary written by a person named Jong Phil on its official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), which was released Saturday.

“As South Korea’s Yonhap news agency writes, it’s rare for Pyongyang’s media to level criticism at Beijing, though the KCNA didn’t directly mention China in the commentary titled ‘Are you good at dancing to the tune of others’ and dated Friday. The commentary instead called the nation at issue ‘a country around the DPRK,’ using North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

“‘Not a single word about the U.S. act of pushing the situation on the Korean peninsula to the brink of a war after introducing hugest-ever strategic assets into the waters off the Korean peninsula is made but such rhetoric as “necessary step” and “reaction at decisive level” is openly heard from a country around the DPRK to intimidate it over its measures for self-defense,’ the commentary’s introduction in English read.”

This marks a drastic shift by North Korea, who had openly relied on China as a strategic ally on the world stage. It will also transform the dynamic of U.S. involvement with Kim Jong Un, as our previous course of action was heavily reliant on China handling a bulk of the Kim-wrangling.

Andrew West is a Georgia-based political enthusiast and lover of liberty. When not writing, you can find Mr. West home brewing his own craft beer, perfecting his home-made hot sauce recipes, or playing guitar.